By Angela Rayner MP
I HOPE you’re all safe and well and that you managed to make the most of our glorious, but short lived, spell of sunshine!
This month, I want to talk about an issue that I receive a lot of correspondence on – the cost of living crisis.
We are all seeing food prices increasing, energy bills going up and taxes rising and I know this is a very difficult time for so many families within my constituency.
I believe that at times like this, politicians have to decide whose side they are on.
Is it the millions of hard-working people and businesses of Greater Manchester dreading their next energy bill? Or is it the oil and gas giants making record profits from their misery?
In recent weeks, I have helped residents who are in real dire straits, facing rent arrears and bailiffs due to being unable to the cover costs of energy bills or going without food just to make ends meet due to their mounting costs.
While the mere existence of foodbanks should be a source of shame for us all, I do want to pay tribute to the charities and volunteers who operate them. They do a sterling job and make such a difference to the most vulnerable members of our community.
Many of us are aware of the amazing work Pauline Town does from the Station Pub in Ashton to support homeless people with a daily packed lunch and I know the food pantry organised by Smallshaw Hurst Community Action Group
There is no denying they run a superb community service, but I firmly believe that food insecurity is a symptom of economic failure and so many of the people that are forced to access foodbanks are employed.
I support a number of measures to tackle this including freezing people’s energy bills – a step that would save the average household £1,000, get future energy costs under control and help tackle inflation. Action is also needed to start insulating 19 million homes across the country over the next decade through a Warm Homes Plan.
I am confident that the plan my Labour colleagues and I have devised would stop bills rising now and ensure sustainable energy for the future, so that people can get through the winter while laying the foundations for a stronger, more secure economy.
I will continue pressing the Government to take these vital steps.
For anyone who pays for Gas & Electricity on monthly debit and are in credit.
Remember that the payments which you made months ago were prior to any increases and are now being debited from your account at todays increased rates.
These credit balances should be costed at the rate applicable at the time they were paid!
People are losing out once again.